The present invention regards a machine for American-style coffee for use on aircraft. More in general, the machine according to the invention may be used to dispense hot beverages, such as coffee and tea, and/or hot and cold water.
For a better definition of the technical field of the present invention, it is necessary to point out that the ancillary equipment used on aircraft, such as coffee machines, must meet specific requirements that correspond to strict aeronautic standards. In particular, machines for making American-style coffee for use on aircraft, which is the technical field to which the present invention refers, must be in compliance with aeronautic standards, such as JAR25, FAR25, RTCA/DO 160C, and RAI (Italian Aeronautics Register) Technical Regulations. It should immediately be said that coffee machines not designed for use on aircraft do not meet any aeronautic standards.
According to JAR25, the machines must, among other things, be able to support up to nine times their own weight; withstand a given range of vibrations (for 1 hour for each Cartesian axis), and still be operative; withstand storage for 3 hours at the temperatures of xe2x88x9255xc2x0 C. and +85xc2x0 C.; operate at temperatures of between +1.7xc2x0 C. and +55xc2x0 C.; still be operative after being kept for 12 hours in an environment with a relative humidity of xe2x89xa795%; and be built with materials which, in the event of fire, are self-extinguishing and with low emission of smoke, so as not to give off toxic gases, and materials such as do not have compositions that are harmful to human health.
In addition, the machines must possess the characteristics according to which if an explosion of a component takes place, the said explosion must be extinguished inside the machine itself; they must also have dimensions such as to enable them to be accommodated and remain fixed in conditions of safety within the special compartments prepared for them on aircraft; and they must also be as light as possible, considering that aeroplanes such as the Boeing 737 or 747 can house even 10 of such machines. The reduction of approximately one kilogram of weight on board an aeroplane can mean considerable energy savings in the course of a a year.
At present, in the aviation field there exist coffee machines, in particular machines for dispensing American-style coffee, tea, or other hot beverages, the design of which is obsolete and which are certainly inadequate for current needs of weight-saving associated to improved functionality and safety. The said machines use a boiler container which remains pressurized for the whole time that the machines are switched on, a period in which the water is heated by means of direct contact with one or more resistors. Airline companies have therefore on numerous occasions expressed the need for innovative coffee machines characterized in particular by reduced weight and maintenance and by improved safety features.
In particular, EP-A387515 discloses a coffee maker for use in aircrafts which does not comprise an hydraulic circuit provided with an actuation system which vertically forces the heater to come down onto the cartridge holder drawer so as to close it in a sealed manner and also said coffee maker is not governed by a software. In addition CA 2121998, EP-A-353425 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,588 do not disclose any elements to provide an increased safety and easiness of the control of the brewing process.
There has now been found a specific combination of parts and an adequate choice of components, materials and forms which enable the construction of innovative machines that are able to dispense coffee, the so-called American or American-style coffee, and other hot beverages. The machine configuration and conformation described herein produce a longer-lasting device which is easier to use, safer, and lighter than the machines that are currently known. Further advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description.
In the present description the words xe2x80x9cexchangerxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cheaterxe2x80x9d will be used indifferently, meaning thereby a thermal set comprising heating elements and elements designed for the passage of the fluid that is to be heated.
An object of the present invention is a machine that is able to dispense hot beverages, such as coffee, American-style coffee, tea, and/or hot and cold water, in accordance with the attached claims. In particular, the machine comprises a load-bearing structure substantially mad of aluminium, side panels, and bass and head substantially made of aluminium, the said machine being characterized in that it comprises elements configured and conformed in such a way as to be used in the aviation field.
A further object of the invention is a heater with two faces for heating liquids that may be used both in coffee machines of the type used on aircraft and in traditional coffee machines.
Further objects of the present invention will be evident from the ensuing description.